Travares on the market???
Nov 20, 2008 19:52:32 GMT -5
Post by Mr. Hockey on Nov 20, 2008 19:52:32 GMT -5
The Oshawa Generals have set the wheels in motion to trade John Tavares.
A source told sportsnet.ca the Generals contacted a few teams Wednesday morning indicating they are now open to offers for the superstar centre, who was anointed by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service as the top prospect for the 2009 entry draft.
It has been speculated the London Knights and Windsor Spitfires are the two most likely teams to be interested in obtaining the 18-year-old Oakville, Ont., native who is third in Ontario Hockey League scoring with 17 goals and 36 points in 23 games. The Generals are third in the East Division with an 11-11-0-1 record.
"I got a call five minutes ago," said Windsor Spitfires GM Warren Rychel. "Obviously our team is interested in him, but I'm not about to mortgage the future of this franchise to get him. Our strength is down the middle."
Generals coach and GM Chris DePiero said Rychel first inquired about the potential availability of Tavares on Nov. 6. DePiero said he has also been contacted by a number of teams in the OHL about Tavares and the Generals have no concrete plan in terms of how they will proceed with a potential trade.
"I guess the bottom line is we are a .500 team and we have to consider all our options," DePiero said. "We are very fortunate to have the best player in the Canadian Hockey League and I know there are probably 19 teams out there that would love to have him. I have been fielding calls from teams the last three or four weeks.
"John has been a tremendous leader for our hockey team,” DePiero added. “He's our captain and has done everything you could possibly ask from a player in terms of leadership, attitude and work ethic. Now that this has come out, we'll have to sit down as an organization and discuss how we'll do things moving forward. We'll formulate a game plan."
Tavares's agent, Pat Brisson, said the player is very aware of the situation and in no way did anything to force the Generals' hand to move him.
"John is very happy with the way he has been treated by the Oshawa Generals," Brisson said. "At the same time it is his fourth year in the OHL and his draft year. If the Generals don't appear to have what it takes to win a championship, John is aware that while he is away at the World Junior Championship training camp or the tournament, he may be traded and return from the tournament to a new team."
The OHL trade deadline is Jan. 10.
www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/2008/11/19/generals_tavares/
A source told sportsnet.ca the Generals contacted a few teams Wednesday morning indicating they are now open to offers for the superstar centre, who was anointed by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service as the top prospect for the 2009 entry draft.
It has been speculated the London Knights and Windsor Spitfires are the two most likely teams to be interested in obtaining the 18-year-old Oakville, Ont., native who is third in Ontario Hockey League scoring with 17 goals and 36 points in 23 games. The Generals are third in the East Division with an 11-11-0-1 record.
"I got a call five minutes ago," said Windsor Spitfires GM Warren Rychel. "Obviously our team is interested in him, but I'm not about to mortgage the future of this franchise to get him. Our strength is down the middle."
Generals coach and GM Chris DePiero said Rychel first inquired about the potential availability of Tavares on Nov. 6. DePiero said he has also been contacted by a number of teams in the OHL about Tavares and the Generals have no concrete plan in terms of how they will proceed with a potential trade.
"I guess the bottom line is we are a .500 team and we have to consider all our options," DePiero said. "We are very fortunate to have the best player in the Canadian Hockey League and I know there are probably 19 teams out there that would love to have him. I have been fielding calls from teams the last three or four weeks.
"John has been a tremendous leader for our hockey team,” DePiero added. “He's our captain and has done everything you could possibly ask from a player in terms of leadership, attitude and work ethic. Now that this has come out, we'll have to sit down as an organization and discuss how we'll do things moving forward. We'll formulate a game plan."
Tavares's agent, Pat Brisson, said the player is very aware of the situation and in no way did anything to force the Generals' hand to move him.
"John is very happy with the way he has been treated by the Oshawa Generals," Brisson said. "At the same time it is his fourth year in the OHL and his draft year. If the Generals don't appear to have what it takes to win a championship, John is aware that while he is away at the World Junior Championship training camp or the tournament, he may be traded and return from the tournament to a new team."
The OHL trade deadline is Jan. 10.
www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/2008/11/19/generals_tavares/
